The invention relates to exercise equipment, including weight training equipment, including olympic style weight racks and benches.
Olympic style weight racks and benches require rigidity and stability while in use. This is accomplished by positively securing the bench to the rack while it is in use. However, to maximize effective use of a bench, the relationship between the user and the rack needs to be adjustable. For example, the positioning of a person doing a flat press is different from a military press. The challenge is to simultaneously achieve a rigid bench that is adjustable relative to the rack.
The use of olympic weight racks often requires one or more spotters, who need to be positioned relative to the athlete to achieve maximize advantage when assisting the athlete during training. Exercises such as an incline or military press require the spotter to be elevated from the floor for maximum efficiency. It is desirable to provide a collapsible spotter platform that can be extended for certain exercises, and retracted for other exercises such as flat presses. squats, and other training routines that do not require an elevated spotter. This provides the most efficient use of space, and the least amount of effort and/or inconvenience for the user.
The present invention arose during continuing development efforts in the above technology and has application thereto and to other applications.